The Marshall Pruett Podcast

MP 948: The Week In IndyCar, Sept 24, with Mike Shank

Meyer Shank Racing co-owner Mike Shank returns to The Week In IndyCar show to discuss the season to date with Jack Harvey, MSR's new Acura DPi deal in IMSA, and more, all powered by questions submitted by fans via social media.
A sampling of the items posed this week:
"How much crossover is there between race day personnel between IMSA and IndyCar? I imagine many of the staff are tied to manufacturer alliances like tire techs, HPD engineers, but how about others? Truck drivers? Caterers? Logistics people?"
"Interested to know how you decided to grow the team the way you did (going from Indy only, to part-time to full-time)? What did the decision making look like on the business side of how and when to take the next step forward? And what are your goals for the future?"
"Mike- what Van Halen song best describes your fine pilot Jack Harvey? And number two, would Jack even know what song you’re talking about?"
"Michael, when I was a kid, I used to travel around to all the Central Division SCCA tracks and saw you drive a bunch of Atlantic races. I know you started racing before Atlantics though. What was your first race car and what are some of your favorite things about that time?"
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MP 947: The Week In Sports Cars, Sept 24

It's time for the second part of The Week In Sports Cars' listener-driven review of the 88th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Marshall Pruett, and DailySportsCar.com's Graham Goodwin and Stephen Kilbey.
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MP 946: The Week In Sports Cars, Sept 22

It's time for The Week In Sports Cars podcast, all driven by listener Q&A, with Marshall Pruett, and DailySportsCar.com's Graham Goodwin and Stephen Kilbey, as they take a first look inside the 88th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
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MP 945: The Week In IndyCar, Sept 22, Listener Q&A

It's one longer-form episode of the Week In IndyCar Listener Q&A show as we dive into a bunch of questions submitted via social media. 
A sampling of the items posed this week (Q&A begins at the 4m48s mark in the episode):
"What makes a driver fast? Not the car, not the team but the person themselves?"
"Hi MP, I'm a 15-year-old IndyCar fanatic who is currently taking a career ed class. I want to go the route of becoming a race mechanic or race engineer in motorsport but I don't know how I could go about that. In class we are often talking about what career we want to have and how to get there. But I simply don't know enough to answer these questions and see a path for me to get a opportunity in motorsports. Hoping you have some insight as a ex-mechanic."
"If the series wants to continue with double header races, what if they tried to make the two somewhat different? Scott Dixon was critical of the race distance on Saturday. Would a 90 lap and a 60 lap race have made strategy better than two at 75 laps? I know 2020 is triage mode for the series...But if the double header model continues, that might define the races?"
"MP, with shorter weekends and lack of practice time becoming the norm this year, it's been interesting seeing how different teams have responded. Alexander Rossi stated in his podcast that the lack of practice time has really thrown a wrench into how his team is accustomed to understanding and improving the car throughout the weekend. It got me wondering how CFD and other simulation programs actually work and how they are used to prepare a good baseline setup to roll off the truck with? Are they strictly aerodynamic focused programs or can other variables also be input into these programs such as suspension, gearing, engine mapping, ambient conditions, etc.?"
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MP 944: The Day At Le Mans with Goodwin and Bourdais

Le Mans native Sebastien Bourdais of the Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GTE EVO team joins Graham Goodwin in the paddock for a look at the 2020 24 Hours of Le Mans ahead of the Sat-Sun race.
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MP 943: Peugeot 908 LMP1 Memories with Bourdais, Davidson, and Lamy

Peugeot's factory LMP1 diesel program was a marvel of speed and engineering from the moment it was unveiled in 2007. Taking on Audi, the kings of Le Mans, with the twin-turbo V12-powered 908 HDi FAP, made for incredible memories as the French national team brought the fight to the German squad.
Although Peugeot's turbodiesel LMP1 effort didn't last long--the brand withdrew at the end of 2011--and its final product, the twin-turbo V8 908, was far from loved by its drivers, there are tales aplenty to share, and with the help of Sebastien Bourdais, Anthony Davidson, and Pedro Lamy, we can take a deep look inside the era and all the peaks and valleys that were produced.
From broken bones to shattering gearboxes to the miraculous finish on the 908's 24-hour debut, our trio provides great detail on how the Peugeot LMP1 program was wilder than anyone imagined.
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MP 942: The Week In IndyCar, Sept 16, with Colton Herta

Mid-Ohio Round 2 race winner Colton Herta from Andretti Harding Steinbrenner Autosport returns to The Week In IndyCar show to discuss a rewarding weekend and some controversy, all powered by questions submitted by fans via social media.
A sampling of the items posed this week:
"How do you respond to criticism you squeezed Ferrucci at the start?"
"What kind of Tacos were consumed Sunday?  Please say it wasn't Taco Bell again."
"Self assessment - what grade does Colton give himself this year? Is this above expectations or on par?"
"Which had a greater feeling of personal accomplishment: Standing atop the podium at Mid-Ohio or standing atop Rossi's bus at Indy?"
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MP 941: The Week In Sports Cars, 24 Hours of Le Mans Preview with Graham Goodwin

It's a Week In Sports Cars podcast special edition featuring our resident FIA WEC expert Graham Goodwin, who takes us through a class-by-class preview of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and closes by answering listener questions submitted by social media.
Discussion Topics:
LMP1 (starts at 2m32s)
GTE-Pro (13m54s)
LMP2 (21m18s)
GTE-Am (40m19s)
Q&A (57m50s)
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MP 940: The Week In IndyCar, Sept 15, Listener Q&A

It's the first of a two-part episode of the Week In IndyCar Listener Q&A show as we dive into a bunch of questions submitted via social media following the Honda Indy 200 doubleheader. 
A sampling of the items posed this week (Q&A begins at the 2m48s mark in the episode):
"Should Ferrucci have faced a harsher punishment? I thought he should've been parked because of an unsafe re-entry to the track. He realistically could've taken out the entire field, minus the two drivers in front of him."
"From the replays it looked very much like Herta ran Ferrucci off the track but Ferrucci got a penalty. Herta then proudly announces he ran him off track... how do you think that will sit control going forward? Does Ferrucci have a dump Herta-get out of jail free card?"
"I gotta say it: the release of Rossi out of his pit stall into the path of Herta during race one looked WAY worse than what got him a penalty during the 500. Thoughts?"
"It feels like early on this season there was a sense of fear that some IndyCar teams were in real danger of having serious budget issues. Now, as outlined in your first silly season article, there's a fair amount of talk of possible team expansions. What has caused such a big (positive!) change in rhetoric?"
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MP 939: The Week In Sports Cars, Sept 13, IMSA 2021 Special

It's time for The Week In Sports Cars podcast, all driven by listener Q&A, with Marshall Pruett and DailySportsCar.com's Graham Goodwin, who focus on the State of the Series announcements from IMSA for its upcoming 2021 season.
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MP 938: The Week In IndyCar, Sept 12, Listener Q&A

It's the second of a two-part episode of the Week In IndyCar Listener Q&A show as we dive into a bunch of questions submitted via social media. 
A sampling of the items posed this week (Q&A begins at the 2m32s mark in the episode):
"Do you think there is any chance Dixon will not win the championship? Seems pretty likely with his lead."
"Could McLaren expand to three full time cars next year?  If so, what reality show style contest would you recommend to pick the lucky driver?  Who competes, who wins, and where does French Fry place?"
"Do you think IndyCar will be reaching out to Claire Williams? Do you think there is any chance she may be interested in IndyCar, since she's been around open wheel racing her entire life? #MePersonally I think it would be great for the sport."
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MP 937: The Week In IndyCar, Sept 10, Listener Q&A

It's the first of a two-part episode of the Week In IndyCar Listener Q&A show as we dive into a bunch of questions submitted via social media. 
A sampling of the items posed this week (Q&A begins at the 3m11s mark in the episode):
"How successful do you feel the double-race format has been this season? Do you think more double-races than a normal season will be a thing next season and if so, will this mean a reduction in overall events or will the season go on beyond the Mid-September finish of recent years."
"Hi MP. Technical question. I know downforce is measured in pounds, but when we hear a downforce number given for an Indy Car, is that at a particular “standard” speed, since there would be more or less downforce depending on how fast the car is traveling?".
"If a driver only wins 8 races their entire career but they are all Indy 500 wins, are they a Hall of Famer?"
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MP 936: The Week In IndyCar, Sept 9, with Arie Luyendyk

Two-time Indy 500 winner and IndyCar race steward Arie Luyendyk returns to The Week In IndyCar show to share insights on life inside race control, handling driver conflicts, and his illustrious history as a driver spanning open-wheel and sports cars, all powered by questions submitted by fans via social media.
A sampling of the items posed this week:
"Arie, Colton Herta had some really not so nice things to say about you on the radio after Rinus Veekay passed him at WWT Raceway, how do you react to the insinuated conflict of interest? Do you contact Colton directly and talk or is there an intermediary? In race control do you automatically recuse yourself of incident review when it comes to Veekay?
"Setting the 4-lap record at Indy: Did you know that speed was in the car that day? What were the indicators - practice speed, engine tune, aero, setup? What was the driving experience like? Was it balanced & you felt ahead of it, or at any point was it at the absolute handling limit?"
"Arie, any good stories of diving with Rick Mears in his prime? What can you tell us about the Menard-powered beast you drove in 1995?"
"Arie, what seems more crazy to you now with the benefit of hindsight: Lapping IMS at 230+ mph in an open-cockpit open-wheel car, or doing fractionally lower speeds on the pre-chicanes Mulsanne Straight in an enclosed Group C Nissan prototype?"
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MP 935: The Week In Sports Cars, Sept 5 2020

It's time for The Week In Sports Cars podcast, all driven by listener Q&A, with Marshall Pruett and DailySportsCar.com's Graham Goodwin.
Discussion Topics:
IMSA (starts at 12m58s)
WEC/AsLMS/ELMS/ACO (35m03s)
General (1h08m21s)
Fun (1h19m13s)
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MP 934: The Week In IndyCar, Sept 3, Listener Q&A

It's the second of a two-part World Wide Technology Raceway doubleheader wrap-up episode of the Week In IndyCar Listener Q&A show as we dive into a bunch of questions submitted via social media. 
A sampling of the items posed this week (Q&A begins at the 6m34s mark in the episode):
"Do we need to fear Pato being swept away by F1? Kid is showing amazing things and continues to impress. I listened to his radio most of the second race and his composure and maturity showed. There’s reasons why he’s P3 in the standings. Conversely Oliver is consistently in the bottom half of the race speed charts and has shown to struggle at tracks he doesn’t click with right away. Reminds me a bit of Verstappen and Albon in F1."
"Marshall, with a new IndyCar chassis likely a couple years away, if you were put in charge of the task force to design the new car, what would your priorities be? Weight reduction, aero efficiency, driveability, etc."
"I have tickets to Mid Ohio. Rumor is the race is happening in just over a week. Are my tickets going to work? What day should I be planning on showing up to the track with my camper? Should I be asking for time off work? Jay Frye says 80-90% When does the track tell the fans that they might want to plan on coming?"
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MP 933: Bill Auberlen, My Racing Life And Career

Bill Auberlen joins us for a success-themed edition of My Racing Life And Career after taking ownership of the record for all-time major sports car wins in North America, and goes well beyond those 61 victories as he shares insights on his family roots, long development period in IMSA's GTU category, and weaves through a series of fascinating stories of highs and lows--including a flirtation with IndyCar--through five decades of pro racing.
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MP 932: The Week In IndyCar, Sept 2, with James Hinchcliffe

It's the Week In IndyCar guest show with Andretti Autosport driver, NBC Sports reporter, and co-host of Off Track with Hinch & Rossi's James Hinchcliffe who joins in after the doubleheader at World wide Technology Raceway to dive into a bunch of questions submitted via social media. 
A sampling of the items posed this week:
"What were your first thoughts when the producer told you to go interview Alexander Rossi after the debacle of the start in the first race?"
"James, any hope of seeing you back in a car in 2020? Andretti and Genesys have to be happy with you!"
"Hinch, your Indy 500 mask was awesome! Have you worn in it in public? I think you should get similar mask of other drivers and wear them like a hybrid Lee Corso/Leatherface while pit reporting. What says you?"
"I know James is a big fan of Jacques Villenueve, who used his handsome winnings from auto racing to have a solo music career. If James could karaoke with Mr. Villenueve, what are some songs on the playlist?"
"James- the last few years you’ve had a couple major gut punches. During both of them you handled yourself with such grace and humility. Can you share who and or what shaped your psychology and your scope on life?"
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MP 931: The Week In IndyCar, Aug 31, Listener Q&A

It's the first of a two-part World Wide Technology Raceway doubleheader wrap-up episode of the Week In IndyCar Listener Q&A show as we dive into a bunch of questions submitted via social media. 
A sampling of the items posed this week (Q&A begins at the 8m31s mark in the episode):
"Michael Andretti seemed especially mad at Zach Veach after he piled into that race 1 crash. Have you heard anything about Zach’s chances of staying at Andretti? If he leaves, who gets that seat? Hinch? Conor Daly? Kevin Magnussen? Scott Tucker?"
"I saw that Dave Furst is the new VP Of Communications for IndyCar. This seems to be a bit of a revolving door position with Curt Cavin and Mike Zizzo having the job the past couple of years and Zizzo in the role for a short time. Any insight on this?"
"Do you think RHR & Colton Herta are justified in their frustrations with RVK? Is he angering other members of the paddock as well, or just the Andretti Autosport duo?"
"It seems like I notice articles on Racer.com reporting NASCAR teams failing post race tech and associated penalties issued at a much higher rate than IndyCar. Any reason to the seemingly perfect tech inspection record by IndyCar teams, is it under-reported or are penalties dished out in a hushed manner? Also, what's the best instance of bending the rules or fooling tech inspectors you ever saw?"
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MP 930: Catching Up With Jeff Zwart

The mercurial Jeff Zwart joins us for an episode of Catching Up With to discuss his Pikes Peak International Hill Climb program in a new and ultra-rare Porsche 935.
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MP 929: The Week In Sports Cars, Aug 26, with Pruett & Goodwin

It's time for The Week In Sports Cars podcast, all driven by listener Q&A, with Marshall Pruett and DailySportsCar.com's Graham Goodwin.
Discussion Topics:
IMSA (starts at 4m08s)
WEC/AsLMS/ELMS/ACO (43m11s)
General (1h24m48s)
Fun (1h44m44s)
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